White Plume Mountain Reconciled
Search ye far or search ye near WHITE PLUME MOUNTAIN You’ll find no trace of the three RECONCILED Unless you follow instructions clear For the weapons abide with me.
INTRODUCTION North past forest, farm, and furrow You must go to the feathered mound White Plume Mountain has always been Then down away from the sun you’ll burrow Forget life, forget light, forget sound. a place of superstitious awe to the neighboring villagers. People travel To rescue Wave, you must do battle many miles to gaze upon this natural With the beast in the Boiling Bubble wonder, though few are willing to Crost cavern vast where chain-links rattle approach it closely, since it is reputed to Lies Whelm, past waterspouts double. be the haunt of various demons and devils. The occasional disappearance of Blackrazor yet remains to be won those who stray too close to it reinforces Underneath inverted ziggurat. this belief. That garnered, think not that you’re done For now you’ll find you are caught. Thirteen hundred years ago, the wizard I care not, former owners brave Keraptis was searching for a suitable What heroes you seek to hire. haven in which he could indulge his Though mighty, I'll make each one my slave eccentricities without fear of Or send him to the fire. interference. He visited White Plume Mountain, going closer than most dared, K and he discovered the system of old lava tubes that riddled the cone and White Plume Mountain tentatively has the underlying strata. With a little been identified as the “feathered alteration, he thought, this place would mound” of the poem. Sages further be perfect for his purposes. The area agree that the “K” symbol refers to already had a bad reputation, and he Keraptis, but most insist that the writer could think of a few ways to make it must be an imposter. After all, who can worse. So taking with him his fanatically believe the note really comes from the loyal company of renegade gnomes, he magician of legend after 1,300 years? disappeared below White Plume Mountain and vanished from the The former owners of Wave , Whelm , and knowledge of men. Today, the once- Blackrazor have each outfitted a few feared name of Keraptis is little known intrepid heroes to take up the even to learned scholars. challenge. These rival adventurers have agreed to cooperate, but each is loyal Three weeks ago, three highly valued only to his respective employer. magic weapons with the cryptic names Wave , Whelm , and Blackrazor disappeared from the vaults of their owners in the midst of the city of Greyhawk. Rewards were posted, servants were hanged, and even the sanctuary of the Thieves’ Guild was violated in the frantic search for the priceless arms, but not a single clue turned up until the weapons’ former owners (all wealthy collectors) each received a copy of a taunting note:
1 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
THE WEAPONS STARTING PLAY
Whelm The nearest village, Yellowreach, lies about five miles from the mountain Whelm is a magical hammer, fashioned along the Yellowflow River (so named for by the dwarves to kill all trolls, giants, the sulfurous deposits along its banks). goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears. It The village can supply the party’s basic can be thrown and will return to the provisions, but any item costing more hand of him who throws it. It detects than 200 gp is unavailable here. In the gold, gems, and the presence of village, the party heard about Dead goblins, and it can stun its enemies by Gnoll’s Eye Socket, a small natural cave striking it on the ground. in the side of a hill about two miles from the Plume. The cave was easily Wave barricaded to keep out unintelligent wandering monsters, so the PCs left their Wave is a magical trident, dedicated to horses and possessions in the cave and the god of the sea Xerbo. Fashioned for approached the mountain on foot. a champion of the Sea-Keeper, it brings death or disfigurement to any who do Standing alone in a vast area of dismal not convert to the worship of this god. It moors and tangled thickets is White commands the fish of the sea and Plume Mountain, an almost perfectly allows its bearer to live beneath the sea conical volcanic hill formed from an as he can upon the ground. Its bearer ancient, slow lava leakage. It is about can communicate with it and with sea 1000 yards in diameter at the base and creatures using only his mind. It has rises about 800' above the surrounding control over water, locating the nearest land. The white plume that gives the water source. It withers its enemies, mountain its name and fame is a drying their bodies to dust. continuous geyser that spouts from the very summit of the mountain another Blackrazor 300' into the air, trailing off to the west under the prevailing winds like a great Blackrazor is a magical sword, black as white feather. The spray collects in the night sky, yet glistening as though depressions downslope that eventually with starlight. In battle, the owner is merge, creating a sizeable stream. immune to fear, and his actions are quick as lightning. Yet, it devours souls, Steam vents pierce the mountainside in they say—even that of the man who various spots, but none of them is large bears it. enough to allow entry. The only possible entrance into the cone is a cave known as the Wizard’s Mouth, about 200' up the south slope along a rough trail. This cave actually seems to breathe, exhaling a large cloud of steam and then slowly inhaling, like a man breathing on a cold day. Each cycle takes about 30 seconds. Approaching the cave, the party will hear a whistling noise coinciding with the wind cycle. If it were not for the continuous roaring of the Plume, this whistling could be heard for a great distance.
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The cave is about 8' in diameter and 40' Flooding long. The ceiling and walls of the cave are slick with the condensed steam that Except where flights of steps lead out of runs down them. The floor is covered it, warm, scummy water 1' deep covers with several inches of fine muck. the floors (including areas 1–5, 9–10 , & 18–20 ). Furthermore, these floors are At the end of the cave, near the roof, is covered with 1" or so of slippery mud. a long, horizontal crevice, which is about The water and mud will cut average 1' wide. The air is sucked into this crack movement down by 1/3 and necessitate at great speed, creating the loud continual probing of the floor by the whistling and snuffing out torches. Shortly party as they advance. It is difficult to the rush of air slows down, stops for keep silent, run (without falling), or about two seconds, and then comes depend on invisibility spells for back out in a great blast of steam. This concealment. (Waves and foot-shaped steam is not hot enough to scald holes in the water give one away.) anyone who keeps low and avoids the Wherever there is water, there are crevice, but it does make the cave floating patches of green and white uncomfortable, like a hot sauna bath scum, a subterranean algæ or algæ-like interrupted by blasts of cold air. fungus. In the damp humidity of the dungeon, this harmless stuff clings in Careful probing of the muck near the patches to the walls and even the back of the cave will reveal a 2'×2' ceiling. trapdoor with a rusted iron ring set in it (detect as concealed door). Once the Lighting muck has been cleared away, an open doors roll at a +1 penalty will be required All rooms and corridors are dark unless to pull up the encrusted door. Directly otherwise noted. Most inhabitants have beneath is a 20'×20' vertical shaft and infravision. the beginning of a spiral staircase leading down. Man-sized characters Temperature must shed backpacks and armor heavier than leather to squeeze through The ambient temperature averages the trapdoor. approximately 75°F. Characters without the heat survival non-weapon STANDARD DUNGEON FEATURES proficiency will be uncomfortable in light armor (3/4 base movement, –1 CON in Air and Smoke leather or chain) and subject to possible damage in plate mail (CON check The air is warm, humid, and rather foul. every 3 turns or lose d2 hp). Lamps and torches burn fitfully and give off a lot of smoke. The Vibration
Doors Within the dungeon, beginning with the stairway down, perceptive PCs notice a Unless stated otherwise, all doors are continuous low vibration. This vibration is 8'×8', made of oak and bound in iron. from the Plume geyser. After a time, the Though the doors are swollen by the PCs will become used to it, but it takes its dampness and thus difficult to open, the subconscious toll, for just as a very low wood is not by any means rotten. Most organ note inspires subconscious fear, so doors open out of rooms (i.e., pull from too this vibration. Thus, all saving throws outside). against fear are made at –1.
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Walls and Ceilings 4. 1 invisible stalker (of 3) (AC 1[3]; MV 12"; HD 8; hp 33, 33, 33; #AT 1; All ceilings are 10' high. The rooms and Dmg 4d4; SA surprise 5 in 6; corridors have been carved—and in SD invisibility; MR 30%; Int High; AL N; some places, seemingly melted— SZ L [8']; THAC0 12). It will attack at through solid rock. For climbing once. purposes, walls are smooth and slightly 5. d3 ogres (of 3) (AC 5; MV 9"; HD 4+1; slippery (or slippery where water is hp 21, 18, 17; #AT 1; Dmg d10+2 present). [shoddy two-handed sword] or d10+2 [shoddy halberd] [×2] ; Int Low; KEY TO THE DUNGEON LEVEL AL CE, SZ L [9']; THAC0 15). The ogres attack as soon as they know the Wandering Monsters party are present. The ogres are charmed and are loyal to the False Each turn, roll d12. On a roll of 1, an Keraptis. They fight until they are encounter occurs. To determine the dead. wandering monster encountered, roll d6 6. 1 (70%) or 2 (30%) wights (AC 5; and consult the table below. If an MV 12"; HD 4+3; hp 22, 20; #AT 1; encounter occurs that is impossible, re- Dmg d4; SA energy drain; SD hit only roll. If a second encounter occurs that is by silver/magic weapons, immune to impossible, then no encounter takes poison, paralyzation, sleep , charm , place. hold , or cold-based spells; Int Avg; AL LE; SZ M; THAC0 15). 1. 1 black pudding (AC 6; MV 6"; HD 10; hp 45; #AT 1; Dmg 3d8; SA dissolves Encounter Areas chain in 1 round, plate in 2 rounds, +1 round per magic “plus”; SD blows 1: The spiral staircase, which is badly & lightning divide into smaller rusted, descends about 100' before puddings, immune to cold; Int Non; ending in area 1 . At the bottom of AL N; SZ L [7' diameter]; THAC0 10). It the staircase, the floor is covered lies in wait for the party just ahead of with water. Floating upon it are their march, concealed by the water patches of green and white scum. if there is any. Some of the scum seems to have 2. d4+1 bugbears (of 24) (AC 5; MV 9"; gained purchase on the rock walls HD 3+1; hp 19, 19, 19, 19, 19, 15, 15, and ceiling. It clings there, moist and 15, 15, 15, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 12, ugly, staining the smoothly carved 12, 12, 10, 10, 10, 10; #AT 1; Dmg volcanic rock. Just opposite the foot 2d4+1 [bastard sword]; SA surprise of the stairs is a 10'-wide corridor that 3 in 6; Int Low; AL CE; SZ L [7½']; heads east. THAC0 16). The bugbears have been charmed by the False Keraptis and cannot be persuaded to betray him unless the charm is broken. They will fight until killed. 3. 2 gargoyles (AC 5; MV 9"/15" [MC: C]; HD 4+4; hp 21, 19; #AT 4; Dmg d3/d3/d6/d4; SD only hit by magic weapons; Int Low; AL CE; SZ M; THAC0 15). They spring on the party from niches carved into the ceiling. They attack at once, not stopping until they are killed.
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2: Sapho, gynosphinx (AC –1; Inscribed on the ceiling of each MV 15"/24" [MC: D]; HD 8; hp 38; passage, 10' from the junction where #AT 2; Dmg 2d4/2d4; SA dispel Sapho sits, is a symbol spell. Each is magic 1/day, symbol 1/week each; visible and legible from a distance of SD detect magic , read magic , 60', assuming the characters can see comprehend languages , detect that far. Each symbol activates invisibility , locate object , whenever any creature passes under clairaudience , clairvoyance , remove it, unless that creature has spoken curse , legend lore 1/day each; Int the password (the answer to the Exc; AL N[E]; SZ L [7']; THAC0 12) corresponding riddle; see hereafter). The protection offered by the A bedraggled creature rests on a password remains in effect until the 2'-high pile of bones that fills the creature moves more than 60' from intersection. The creature’s body the symbol . The gynosphinx is looks like that of a mangy lion, and immune to the symbols’ effects and great, tattered wings lie folded at its cannot trigger them. See the sides. A female humanoid face descriptions of the four passageways peers out from beneath the tangled for the specific traps. Since the PCs mat of hair that covers its head. will enter via the south passage when they first penetrate White The junction of the passageways Plume Mountain, they will probably inside the mountain is guarded by be affected by the symbol trap Sapho, an unhappy gynosphinx, and there (see South Passage) before four magical traps that help to they can reach Sapho. protect her. Any character who comes within 10' of her from any The gynosphinx Sapho guards this direction triggers the symbol spell in intersection because of a poorly the appropriate corridor. Murky worded bargain with the False water covers the floor to a depth of Keraptis. Though she bears no love 1', but the pile of bones gives the for the wizard, she faithfully carries gynosphinx a dry perch. out her service to him. The gynosphinx prefers to deal peacefully with intruders, so she does not initiate hostilities against the PCs. As soon as she detects anyone approaching, she presents her offer: Any group that can answer her riddle may pass safely. If the PCs accept this offer, she asks which passage they wish to take—west, north, or east. Their choice determines which riddle she gives them.
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Sapho knows that each passage East Passage gives access to one of the weapons of power, but she does not know My creator wants me not, which one leads to which weapon. And much in dread will I be bought. The three riddles are given hereafter, My cold embrace is fiercely fought, with the answers in parentheses. Most all who need me know it not.
Coincidentally, each riddle also hints (Answer: A coffin.) at a threat that lies in the same
direction. The passage leading east has a
symbol of pain . All creatures suffer –2 South Passage on DEX and –4 “to hit” for 2d10 turns.
This passage is the PCs’ most likely If the characters provide the correct entry into the area on their first visit. answer to the riddle, Sapho asks The corridor is protected by a symbol each person in the party to repeat it, of stunning (first 160 hp of PCs because the answer is also the stunned for 3d4 rounds, dropping password that prevents the held items) . Activation of this symbol corresponding symbol from gives Sapho time to offer her bargain triggering. Only then does she allow before intruders can attack her. them to pass. She does not under
any circumstances tell the North Passage characters that the answer protects
Round she is, yet flat as a board, them from the symbol , because Altar of the Lupine Lords, characters who do not know the Jewel on black velvet, pearl in the sea, purpose of the answer will likely Unchanged but e’erchanging, eternally. trigger the symbol on their return.
(Answer: The moon.) If attacked, Sapho fights back to the best of her ability, but she makes her A symbol of sleep protects this offer to the PCs while doing so. As corridor. All creatures under 8+1 HD soon as they agree, she stops fall asleep and cannot be fighting. If reduced to fewer than awakened by non-magical means 20 hp, Sapho retreats (preferably for d12+4 turns. Unless pulled from down the north corridor to the dry the water, they begin to drown the landing at area 14 ), then returns following round (CON check each after the PCs move on. She offers no round, cumulative +2 penalty each aid to any PCs affected by the subsequent round). symbols .
West Passage
I have a mouth but never speak. I have a bed but never sleep. I run smoother than any rhyme. I love to fall but cannot climb.
(Answer: A river.)
This corridor is equipped with a symbol of insanity (first 120 hp of PCs suffer permanent confusion until cured by heal , restoration , or wish ).
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Assuming that the PCs answered the When the characters approach riddle rather than fighting Sapho or area 2 for the final time, the pile of sneaking past her, the gynosphinx bones that previously blocked this asks any character who returns to now-familiar intersection will have her post for the answer to the riddle been scattered about so that only a again to prevent the symbol from few blackened fragments poke up triggering. This technique is Sapho’s out of the water. Among these way of punishing anyone who pieces stands a robed humanoid attacks her after correctly answering figure, its face concealed beneath a a riddle. Furthermore, if the PCs shadowy hood. The figure is actually chased the gynosphinx off rather an illusion created by the efreeti, than answering a riddle, she scribes who controls it from 40' down the a symbol of death (kills first 80 hp of south corridor, where he stands PCs) directly above the intersection, invisible . It disappears if touched or hoping to wreak vengeance upon magically dispelled . her attackers when they return. “Not thinking of leaving, are you?” If the PCs manage to obtain all three the figure asks in a deep, rich voice. of the stolen weapons and are finally “You’ve been so very entertaining, I leaving for good, the False Keraptis just couldn’t think of letting you go, sends one of his most trusted especially with those little collector’s servants, an efreeti named Nox, to items of mine—and since you’ve meet them on their way out of the eliminated all of their guardians, mountain. Sapho is no longer there why, you’ll simply have to stay… to and cannot ask the PCs to repeat take their places. I’ll have to ask you the answer to her last riddle, so they to leave all of your ridiculous are vulnerable to the symbol in the weapons behind and let my servant corridor from which they are Nox escort you to the Indoctrination approaching (and any other Center. I’ll be most disappointed if symbols they may trigger during the you cause me any trouble and Nox encounter). has to eliminate you. Don’t worry— you’ll like it here.” Nox, efreeti (AC 2; MV 6"/24" [MC: B; ground speed reduced due to low ceiling]; HD 10; hp 36; #AT 1; Dmg 3d8 [giant scimitar]; SA produce flame or pyrotechnics at will; SD immune to normal fire, –1 “to hit” & damage from magical fire, invisibility , gaseous form , detect magic , enlarge , polymorph self , illusion , wall of fire 1/day each; Int Exc; AL LE; SZ L [12']; THAC0 10)
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Nox prefers to wait until the party 4: Though the door to this room have been affected by one or more appears normal (i.e., a large, iron- of Sapho’s symbols (and preferably bound oak door, swollen by the wasted some resources attacking dampness and difficult to open), it the illusion ) before initiating combat. gives off a faint aura of alteration Once the fight begins, he tries to magic if such is detected. The door divide the party with a wall of fire at magically slams shut and wizard the dotted line on the map, to block locks 5 rounds after it is opened. Only off the corridor. He then melees foes a knock spell, or the proper key on his side of the wall . Nox also likes turned in the keyhole on the inside of to use pyrotechnics on a fire source the door, will unlock its magic. (such as the wall of fire ) to create a smoke cloud. Nox fights until Within this 30'-square room, nine reduced to 15 or fewer hp, then silvered glass globes hang from the assumes gaseous form and blends ceiling by adamantite wires at a with the smoke cloud created by his height of 7'. One 2'-diameter globe pyrotechnics (rendering him hangs in each 10'×10' square. Other effectively invisible). He does not than the globes and the ever- pursue the party; he simply reports present water, the room appears back to the False Keraptis. empty.
If, for some foolish reason, the party Except for #6 (q.v.), shaking reveals decide to comply and go with Nox that each globe contains one or to the Indoctrination Center, he strips more items. Inspection with detect them of all weapons and armor and magic or scrying spells fails because leads them to the secret door at the interiors of the globes are area 9 . They probably end up as the covered with a thin coating of brainwashed new guards in the leaded paint. A good hard crack White Plume Mountain dungeon… with a weapon will shatter any of them, dropping the contents (if not 3: green slime (AC 9; MV 0"; HD 8; caught on a successful DEX check) hp 35; #AT 0; Dmg nil; SA dissolves into the muck below. Starting in the chain in 2 rounds, plate in 3 rounds, northwest corner of the room and flesh in d4 rounds; SD killed only by working across, then down, the fire, cold, or cure disease ; Int Non; contents of the globes are as follows: AL N; SZ L [30']; THAC0 16)
A large patch of green slime covers the floor in the indicated area. As it is totally covered by water, it is not easily detectable; characters may walk through it and not even notice they have done so until is has eaten through their boots and started on their feet. The usual flask-of-oil method will not work here, as the flaming oil will just float on the water. A fireball would probably wipe the slime out, but the blowback would likely kill the caster as well.
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#1: This globe contains 300 worthless #7: This sphere contains a wand of lead coins, a false iron key, and 3 paralyzation tipped with a shard of shadows (AC 7; MV 12"; HD 3+3; glass (1 charge), a scroll in a leather hp 19, 17, 14; #AT 1; Dmg d4+1; case (the wand’s command haiku, SA strength drain; SD hit only by in Common: “Cerulean ray, find this magic weapons, immune to sleep , enemy of mine, and hold charm , hold , and cold, 90% immobile”), and a false iron key. undetectable except in continual light ; Int Low; AL CE; SZ M; THAC0 16). #8: This globe contains the real iron The shadows are magically trapped key and a gold ring . Upon release, within the globe but attack the ring speaks to the entire party immediately upon release. telepathically, saying, “Stop before you put me on, for once you have #2: This globe contains a cloudy done that I cannot be removed, lest green philter of persuasiveness in a my powers be lost. I confer upon my tin flask and a false iron key. wearer the following powers: invisibility , haste , flying , and treasure #3: This sphere holds an 8,000-gp finding , though some of these gold medallion set w/ a large star powers may be used but a few sapphire (24 cns.), a 4,000-gp gold times. I also protect from harm and necklace set w/ 2 small emeralds charm , and I turn spells. Lastly, I can (19 cns.), a false iron key, and an grant one wish . My drawback is that angry air elemental (AC 2; MV 36"; I drain one hit point per year, never HD 8; hp 33; #AT 1; Dmg 2d10; SD hit to be regained. Choose now whose only by +2 weapons; Int Low; AL N; hand I grace permanently, for I must SZ L; THAC0 12). be worn for me to leave.” While the PCs are in the room, detect magic #4: Inside this globe are a false iron reveals a moderate aura of key and a silver ring of spell storing illusion/phantasm on the ring. [fly , ×4] set w/ a very small tiger eye Nevertheless, the ring speaks falsely. (2 cns.). Once someone puts it on or takes it from the room, the ring loses all its #5: This globe contains 11 worthless magic and cannot even talk. This is a glass gems and a false iron key. basic loyalty and intelligence test. Will the party members cut each #6: A gray ooze fills the entire globe other’s throats over the ring? (AC 8; MV 1"; HD 3+3; hp 16; #AT 1; Dmg 2d8; SA corrodes chain in #9: This sphere contains 4 50-gp 1 round, plate in 2 rounds; large turquoises, 2 100-gp pearls, SD immune to spells except lightning; a 200-gp very small ruby, and a false Int Ani; AL N; SZ M; THAC0 16). Unlike iron key. the other globes, this one does not rattle, but it feels heavier than the rest if lifted. Floating amid the ooze are five pieces of worthless glass jewelry and a false stone key.
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5: 1 flesh golem (AC 9; MV 8"; HD 9; The other four stitched corpses were hp 40; #AT 2; Dmg 2d8/2d8; to become flesh golems, but the SD hit only by magic weapons, crafting required to bring them to life immune to most spells, fire/cold slows is not yet complete. The bodies have for 2d6 rounds, lightning heals been assembled and prepared with 1 hp/HD; Int Semi; AL N; SZ L [7½']; the necessary unguents and THAC0 12) bindings. Each flesh golem body recovered intact and undamaged is 4 zombies (AC 8; MV 6"; HD 2; hp 16, worth 40,000 gp to someone 16, 16, 16; #AT 1; Dmg d8; SD immune interested in crafting golems—most to sleep , charm , hold , and cold commonly powerful, evil spell- spells; Int Non; AL N; SZ L [7½']; casters. To anyone else, they are THAC0 16) worthless—and possibly even sacrilegious. Five large, corpselike figures stand lined up against the far wall. Each 6: 1 killer mimic (AC 7; MV 3"; HD 9; has a different number carved into hp 52; #AT 1; Dmg 3d4; SA glue; the flesh of its chest: 5, 7, 9, 11 , and SD camouflage; Int Semi; AL N; SZ L; 13 . At the sound of the door THAC0 12) opening, the one on the left, bearing the number 5, says, “One of us does A short flight of stairs leads up to a not belong with the others. If you dry corridor. Just around the corner is can pick it out, it will serve you, and an apparent door. The entire 10'×10' the others will allow you passage. If door/wall section is actually a mimic. you pick the wrong one, we will kill Any creature taking hold of it you. You have one minute.” immediately becomes stuck, and the mimic lashes out with a The five corpselike figures resemble pseudopod. flesh golems, though only one actually is. The speaking figure talks by means of a magic mouth spell. Allow the players to discuss the puzzle amongst themselves for 60 seconds of real time before answering, but the first answer given to the “golems” is binding. The number that does not belong is 9; all the others are prime numbers.
The figure bearing the number 9 is the only real flesh golem. If the allotted time elapses, or if the characters answer incorrectly, attack any of the figures, or attempt to pass through the room without answering, it and the zombies animate and attack. If they answer correctly, it opens the far door, stands aside peacefully, and awaits further instructions from the one who gave the answer.
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7: The door to this room feels warm to Characters can cross the cavern by the touch. If the PCs listen at the leaping from one disk to the next. keyhole, they can hear a rushing The disks swing freely and tilt when sound followed by the spattering of weight is placed upon them. Lightly water on the door. The door opens or moderately encumbered man- onto a stone platform near the north sized PCs can negotiate one disk per end of a large natural cave. The round. A heavily encumbered ceiling averages 50' above the level human, or a lightly encumbered of the platform, while the floor of the dwarf, has only a 2-in-4 chance to cave, 50' below, is a deep pool of make the transfer from disk to disk; a boiling mud. The cavern walls are moderately encumbered dwarf has covered with a wet, slippery algal but a 1-in-4 chance. scum that lives on the water and nutrients spewed up from the Of course, given the rate at which geysers. This coating gives off a PCs can safely traverse the disk feeble, phosphorescent glow that bridge, there is almost a certainty provides dim light throughout the that one of them is near a geyser room. when it erupts. Should this occur, there is a chance, based on Strength Opposite the entrance platform is and nearness of the geyser, that the another stone platform, PC loses his grip on the chain and is approximately 80' away. Bridging the washed off into the mud below. gap between the platforms, Immersion in the boiling mud inflicts wooden disks sway to and fro, 6d10 hp damage per round. suspended from the ceiling by Residual hot mud continues to burn massive steel chains. The nine disks for d3 rounds after the victim has left are each about 4' in diameter and the mud sea, inflicting an additional 3–5' apart. Each disk is attached to d6 hp damage per round. its chain by a giant staple fixed in its center. The disks and chains, too, are The table below gives the chance coated with scum. for a character with Strength 18 or better to sustain his grip on a Points A and B mark the locations of particular disk when either or both of the geysers. Geyser A, which is the geysers erupt. For each point of alongside disk 3, spouts once every 5 Strength below 18, there is a 10% less rounds (rounds 5, 10, 15, and so chance. The table also gives the forth). Geyser B, which is alongside base damage sustained from such disk 8, spouts once every 3 rounds an eruption. Characters who pass (rounds 3, 6, 9, 12, and so forth). saving throws vs. breath weapon Every 15 rounds, both geysers spout take only half damage. together. When the geysers erupt, they reach nearly to the roof of the Location Spout A Spout B Both Spouts cavern. N platform — / d4 — / d4 — / 2d4 Disk 1 75% / 3d10 100% / d4 75% / 3d10+2
Disk 2 70% / 4d10 95% / d4 70% / 4d10+2 Round Eruption Disk 3 65% / 5d10 90% / d4 65% / 5d10+2 0 A, B Disk 4 70% / 4d10 85% / d4 70% / 4d10+2 3 B Disk 5 75% / 3d10 80% / d10 75% / 4d10 5 A Disk 6 80% / d10 75% / 3d10 75% / 4d10 6 B Disk 7 85% / d4 70% / 4d10 70% / 4d10+2 9 B Disk 8 90% / d4 65% / 5d10 65% / 5d10+2 10 A Disk 9 95% / d4 70% / 4d10 70% / 4d10+2 12 B S platform — / d4 — / 3d10 — / 3d10+2 15 A, B
11 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
8: Ctenmiir, vampire (AC 1; MV 12"/18" Hidden in a niche beneath the [MC: C]; HD 8+3; hp 40; #AT 1; Dmg sarcophagus of Ctenmiir are six large d6+4; SA drain 2 levels, charm person sacks containing a total of 1,005 sp [save at –2]; SD hit only by magic and 938 gp. There are also a clear weapons, regenerates 3 hp/round, green potion of ESP in a ceramic gaseous form, immune to sleep , flask, a creamy orange potion of charm , hold , poison, & paralysis, extra-healing in a ceramic flask, and ½ damage from cold & electricity; an MU scroll ( magic mouth , dispel Int Exc; AL CE; SZ M; THAC0 12) magic , monster summoning III , cast at 10th level) in a leather case. The door to this room is perforated Wrapped up in velvet is a plain, with tiny holes, though nothing can unadorned war hammer of dwarven be seen behind it, even with make, with a steel head and a haft infravision. The room has a continual of golden wood. darkness spell on it. No light will function within the room unless this Whelm magic is dispelled. If a continual light Long ago, Dagnal Mightyhammer device is brought into the room, both was a skilled weapon maker of the spells will be negated, and normal Dankil clan. She labored at a time light sources will then function. when her clan had suffered grievous losses from a large band of vicious In the center of this dry, dusty trolls. When her husband and shield- chamber stands a rusted metal mate, Traubon, decided to lead a sarcophagus. The chamber is the lair counterattack against the trolls, of the vampire Ctenmiir, who is Dagnal created a mighty war compelled by a curse to remain hammer (which had no name at the here in a trance except when time), putting all her love for her defending the treasure. When the husband, her commitment to her door is opened, the vampire will clan, and her devotion to Moradin awaken, though he remains in his into it. Traubon and his warriors sarcophagus for 2 rounds. In the 3rd proved victorious, and Dagnal’s round, he will open the sarcophagus weapon was much praised. lid slowly and quietly. This action may be seen by the PCs if they have In the years of prosperity that dispelled the magical darkness. In followed, Dagnal imbued the war the 4th round, he attacks the most hammer with the ability to sense powerful PC, choosing a cleric over gems, gold, and other riches, so that a fighter, a fighter over a magic-user, it might become a valuable tool in a magic-user over a thief. both wartime and peacetime. Many years later, the dwarves were He continues fighting until all PC threatened by hordes of goblins led intruders are dead, until they flee, or by bugbears. Dagnal, now an old until he has 0 hp, when he takes a woman, again sought to improve round to turn to gaseous form and her masterpiece so that it might help another round to escape through vanquish the current threat. Traubon, the holes in the door. If allowed to though he was old and in less-than- escape, he passes through the perfect health, insisted on going out cavern and through the keyhole on with the vanguard of the the other side. Destroying his coffin counterattack. will not bother him, as the False Keraptis has spares hidden away.
12 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
The dwarves were again victorious, Whelm is a hammer +5, dwarven but Traubon was mortally wounded thrower . In the hands of a dwarf, it in the fight. The weapon was can be thrown and will return from returned to the clan with its owner up to 150' thrice per day; in the for burial. Overcome by grief, hands of a fighter or cleric of Dagnal threw herself on her another race, it behaves as a husband’s corpse and promptly hammer +3 . It has alignment LN, died. The two dwarves and the intelligence 15, ego 18, and purpose weapon were interred together in a to kill all trolls, giants, and goblinoids single grave. At the time, many said (including bugbears and that the three had shared one spirit, hobgoblins). Should its wielder fail to and that Dagnal and Traubon had slay such a creature at least once put so much of themselves into the per month, the weapon attempts to weapon that it had become much force him to hunt one down—even if more than just steel and wood. that would involve a journey of several days. Whelm communicates The hammer, which now was with its wielder via telepathy . It imbued with sentience and a detects gold, gems, and the constant craving to hunt giants and presence of goblins within a 60' goblinoids, did not remain buried radius, though it cannot pinpoint forever. Eventually it fell into the their precise locations. hands of a gnomish conclave, from which Keraptis drew his personal Once per day, it acts as a hammer bodyguard. They gave him the of stunning . When struck upon the hammer nearly 1,600 years ago. ground, it sends forth a stunning shockwave for a distance of 60'. Up Lured by tales of treasure, an to 45 hp of enemies can be stunned adventuring group calling itself the for d4 rounds if they fail saving throws Brotherhood of the Tome penetrated vs. spell. White Plume Mountain and stole the wizard’s four implements of power The hammer has one drawback: It (Wave, Whelm, Blackrazor, and afflicts its wielder with agoraphobia Frostrazor) c. 490 CY. In about (fear of wide open places) within 550 CY, the war hammer had found one day of its first use. He fights at –2 its way into the hands of a fearsome “to hit” when outside in daylight, at hunter of ogres called Ctenmiir. –1 outside at night or inside a When Ctenmiir fell prey to (or building, and at no penalty when perhaps willingly gave himself to) underground. This penalty affects the a vampire, his adventuring bearer in combat with all weapons, companions recovered Whelm from not just Whelm, but it does not affect him, bringing it to the City of dwarves. Greyhawk to sell to a collector there, where it remained until recently. The hammer reveals all of its properties and its purpose to the person who chooses to bear it. It does not reveal its drawback.
13 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
9: A large, circular alcove about 10' in Severe (3" MV; encumbered) diameter extends out from the right The character will not float to the side of the hallway. Its floor is surface unless he sheds gear. Even a covered in the same brackish, calf- skilled swimmer cannot surface at deep water as the corridor. This this level of encumbrance. entire area is actually a 20'-deep pit, though its true nature is entirely Holding one’s breath concealed by the foul, dark water A character can hold his breath for that fills it to the same level as the a number of rounds equal to 1/3 his corridor. Any character probing CON score (rounded up); one who is ahead can easily discover the pit. plunged into water unexpectedly Otherwise, anyone moving into the must halve this figure (again, alcove must succeed on a halved rounded up). Each round thereafter, climbing check (base 40% for most he must make a CON check or die characters, halved to 20%; see (with a –2 penalty on the 2nd check, Dungeoneer’s or Wilderness Survival –4 on the 3rd check, –6 on the 4th Guide ) or immediately fall into the check, and so on). pit, sustaining d6 hp damage. For ease of reference, relevant rules Shedding gear from Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide A backpack can be removed in 1 are presented in simplified form round. Stripping off armor below, based on the character’s underwater requires 10–AC rounds encumbrance category: (so 5 rounds for chain mail or 7 rounds for plate mail). None (less than STR×10 cns.) A character who is virtually naked At the bottom of this pool is a stiff can float back to the surface (if valve wheel that may be turned only motionless) on the 2nd round. with a bend bars roll. (Two characters can work together and Light (12" MV; normal gear) combine their strength.) When The character will float back to the turned, the valve opens a drain that surface (if motionless) on the 3rd empties all the water from the wet round. A skilled swimmer can surface corridors in 10 turns. on the 2nd round. Also at the bottom of the pit is a Moderate (9" MV; heavy gear) secret door. It leads into a series of The character will not float to the lava tubes. These passages meander surface unless he sheds gear. A deep into the heart of the volcano skilled swimmer can surface at 10' for about 1500' before finally per round, beginning on the 2nd opening into Keraptis’ Indoctrination round. Center. Obsidian pillars at each branch point mark the true path for Heavy (6" MV; very heavy gear) travelers unfamiliar with the route; The character will not float to the the unmarked passages all lead to surface unless he sheds gear. A dead ends. The lava tubes are skilled swimmer can surface at 5' per exceptionally warm (85°F), especially round, beginning on the 2nd round. where they pass near lava bubbles, but the route is safe and navigable.
14 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
10: 2 kelpies (AC 3; MV 9"//12"; HD 5; Within the submerged room to the hp 26, 27; #AT 0; Dmg nil; SA charm east (marked “C”) is the kelpies’ person 1/day [males only, save at –2 treasure. Scattered about the lair are or drown for 2d10 hp/round]; SD ½ or 584 gp, a fine coral ring worth no damage from fire; Int Low; AL NE; 2,000 gp, and a man-sized suit of SZ M; THAC0 —) mithral chain mail +3 . This room may only be entered from near the This appears to be another normal, bottom of the pool. The door to “D” water-covered room, with steps is positioned with its base at the rising out of the muck on the far side, same level as the hallway entrance but actually most of it is a 15'-deep and the ledge marked “A”. The pool. The areas within the dotted room there is a decoy to lure the lines labeled “A” are the only unwary into the pit and is completely shallow, 1'-deep parts. The deep empty. area marked “B” is inhabited by two kelpies. (See area 9 notes for PCs who inadvertently step over the drop-off.)
When the first male PC either ventures onto the walkway along the west wall or enters the deep part of the room, the kelpies rise to the surface in the shape of female humans. In the 1st round thereafter, they each attempt to charm a male PC. The targets, chosen randomly regardless of race, must pass a saving throw vs. spell at –2 or jump into the pool to join one of the most beautiful and desirable creatures they have ever seen. If only one male PC is present, the kelpies both charm him. If the charms fail, the kelpies revert to their natural form and sink below the surface.
A victim jumping into the water is wrapped about by the kelpie and sinks below the surface. He swims downward with the kelpie and willingly inhales water, suffering 2d10 hp damage per round until dead or saved. PCs may attempt to prevent this, but they must successfully grapple the victim to keep him from his heart’s desire. Alternatively, the kelpies may be killed, at which time the spells are broken.
15 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
11: Opening the door of the corridor If a PC attempts to slide through the leading to this area sounds a silent cylinder, Burket fires a flaming arrow alarm in area 12 . This warning brings when the PC is about halfway the guard Burket to a 1'×1' loophole through. The oil ignites with a at the corridor’s far end. If the PCs whoosh, burning for a total of 2d4 have no light source exposed when rounds. Any PCs in the cylinder as it the door is opened, they see a ignites take 2d8 hp fire damage. Any glimmer of light from the loophole PCs in the cylinder after ignition take before Burket moves into position. d4 hp burn damage per round. Be sure to check item saving throws for The passageway extends about 40' clothing and other flammable and then passes into a 10'-diameter materials. cylinder. The cylinder, which is made of some light metal, spins After igniting the cylinder, Burket counterclockwise at about 8 mph. remains at the loophole, firing arrows The entire inner surface is covered until threatened by spell casting or with slippery oil and painted with a missile weapons, or by a PC making dizzying, black-and-white spiral it more than halfway through the pattern. No one could walk or run cylinder. Then he warns his lover, the through the cylinder because of the sorceress Snarla; closes and latches slipperiness and the dizzying effect of the loophole; and prepares to the pattern. It is, however, possible defend the door to area 12 . that a PC could make it through the cylinder by sliding on his belly, particularly if he took a running start first.
Burket watches the progress of the PCs up the corridor and into the cylinder. When the first PC arrives at the west end of the cylinder, he nocks an arrow and ignites it. If the PCs spend some time at the west end of the cylinder, a successful Wisdom check by one of them will detect the burning smell, unless they have torches. Burket douses the arrow after 5 rounds, immediately igniting another in the next round. He has a dozen arrows that he can use up in this manner, but he is not patient enough to wait for more than d4+2 to be used up before firing a flaming arrow at the PC closest to the end of the cylinder.
16 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
12: Burket, Flan-Suel male fighter (AC 5/4 Burket and Snarla’s round-by-round [chain, buckler]; MV 9" or 18" [ haste ]; tactics (which may be modified by Ftr 4; hp 18; #AT 2 or 1; Dmg d6+3 PC actions) are explained hereafter: [masterwork composite longbow {STR 18/01}, 20 arrows {STR 18/01}] or 1. Burket closes the loophole and d3+3+fire [12 incendiary arrows moves to the door; Snarla casts {STR 18/01}] or d8+3 [bastard sword, shield on herself, lasting 35 one-handed] or d4+1 [heavy rounds. crossbow, 1 bolt]; AL CE; SZ M 2. Burket nocks an arrow; Snarla [5'9", 176#]; THAC0 17 or 18; S 18/44, casts haste on Burket, lasting 10 I 8, W 12, D 13, C 14, Ch 10, Cm 10; rounds. (Assume he makes his mature, fanatical, dull) system shock roll.) 3. Snarla moves to the loophole. Snarla, Oerid-Suel female magic- 4. When the PCs open the door, user (AC 4/3/2 [ shield ]; MV 12"; MU 7; Burket fires one arrow, drops his hp 17; #AT 1; Dmg d4 [dagger]; bow, and draws his sword; Snarla AL CE; SZ M [5'6", 154#]; THAC0 19; opens the loophole. S 8, I 10, W 12, D 14, C 12, Ch 15, 5. Burket tries to face one PC at a Cm 15; mature, hedonistic, time in the doorway; Snarla casts antagonistic; Spells: magic stinking cloud through the missile [×2], push , shield ; scare , loophole, filling the easternmost stinking cloud , web ; dispel magic , 20' of the corridor. haste ; fear ) 6. Snarla closes the loophole and moves to the open doorway to Snarla, female werewolf (AC 4/3/2 area 13 , picking up her spell [shield ]; MV 15"; HD 4+3; hp 26; #AT 1; book from the table along the Dmg 2d4; SD hit only by silver or way. magic weapons; Int Avg; AL CE; 7. If a second PC faces him in the SZ M; THAC0 15) doorway, Burket yells for Snarla to retreat and makes a fighting The door to this area is barred from withdrawal to area 13 . within. It can be forced open with 8. Snarla casts web , centered on sufficient Strength, knocked , or the door to area 12 . battered down with an appropriate 9. Burket closes and bars the iron weapon by three successful blows door to area 13 ; Snarla casts vs. AC 10 that inflict at least 4 hp push , either on a PC or the door, damage each. When it opens, it as applicable. bursts inward to the left, revealing 10. If Burket is killed or Snarla suffers Burket standing inside to the right 6 hp damage, she becomes a with an arrow nocked and ready. werewolf and attacks at once.
The room is furnished with a plain wooden table and two benches. Upon the table are Snarla’s level 1–3 spell book and a single guttering candle. The book contains the following spells: detect magic , magic missile , push , read magic , shield ; scare , stinking cloud , web ; dispel magic , explosive runes , haste .
17 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
13: This 4'×7' iron door can be forced If captured alive (unlikely) and made open with sufficient Strength, to talk, Snarla and/or Burket will tell knocked , or battered down with an the party only that she is charged appropriate weapon by 10 with keeping the kelpies and certain successful blows vs. AC 10 that inflict other denizens of the dungeon fed at least 4 hp damage each. The and that Burket is her bodyguard. door pushes open to the right. In There are strange gaps in their stark contrast to the outer chamber, memories in the areas of dealing Snarla’s inner sanctum is a beautifully with their employer or any section of ornate room. The floor is covered by the dungeon other than their own. fine woven rugs; the walls by erotic Neither has ever been north of the tapestries and shimmering curtains; bulkhead doors at area 14 , east of the ceiling by an intricate mosaic the green slime at area 3 , or west of depicting a summer sky dotted with the pit at area 18 . fleecy clouds. In the northeast corner is a large and lavishly covered bed, Anyone who investigates the bed will strewn with cushions. Next to it on a find that it actually feels quite low table is a buffet of sweetmeats, uncomfortable, and anybody tasting cakes, and other delicious-looking the food will be disappointed in the comestibles. In the northwest corner extreme, finding it tough and not of the room are a brass-bound oak very tasty. True seeing or detect chest and a loaded heavy illusion will reveal that the opulent crossbow. bed is actually only an old straw tick, and the delicious treats are Having retreated to the something very much like iron bedchamber, Burket and Snarla rations. In reality, the walls, floor, and prepare to fight for their lives. Snarla ceiling of the room are quite bare. takes cover behind the bed (–2 AC Only the brass-bound chest appears bonus). Burket picks up his heavy as it actually is. Dispel illusion or crossbow and readies a shot at the dispel magic will remove the illusion. door from the northwest corner. As soon as a PC enters the room, Burket The chest must be opened while fires, and Snarla casts magic missile . uttering a command word known Then Burket leaps forward, sword in only to Snarla, or it releases a stinking hand, battling to the death to cloud that fills the room. The chest prevent anyone from getting to contains some candles, extra Snarla. Snarla casts another magic material components, 361 ep, missile and/or dispel magic , once 258 gp, and the following gems: the PCs have cast their first spell in the room. When it appears Burket will 100-gp very large eye agate die, she casts fear (saves at –1 450-gp star ruby because of the subsonic vibrations) 100-gp pearl and changes into werewolf form. 50-gp alexandrite She fights until dead. 50-gp star rose quartz 500-gp small aquamarine 50-gp small jasper
Snarla’s level 4 spell book may be found under the bed. The book contains only the spell fear . It is protected by an explosive runes spell.
18 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
14: The floor here is dry. The corridor 17: Twenty feet north of the third iron north is totally blocked by three iron wall, the corridor enters a vast walls spaced 10' apart. In the center cavern, opening out onto a ledge. of each 8"-thick wall, a rectangular The corridor continues out onto the hole 2' wide and 6' tall has been cut. ledge, but there the walls no longer The bottom of this hole is 2' above are made of stone. Instead, they the floor. A 2"-thick iron door covers seem to be made of some invisible this hole on the north side. Massive substance, transparent as glass bolt and rivet heads stud the walls. when faced straight on, yet silvery when seen from an angle. The This succession of thick iron doors corridor shape is no longer square, each has 6" flanges all the way but is domed, as though a series of around and five heavy, sprung invisible hoops were supporting it. hinges on the west side so that they This area is uncomfortably hot remain in the closed position. There (110°F); see Wilderness Survival are handles on the north sides of the Guide , p. 21 for penalties. doors so they can be pulled open from that direction. These are The corridor occupies the central actually emergency doors, whose part of the ledge, which apparently purpose is to prevent the dungeon projects from high above the floor in from being flooded by the boiling a tall cavern. Silvery globes rise from lake at area 15 , should there happen the floor of the cavern far below, to be an “accident”. float slowly past the ledge, and disappear into the flat, silvery ceiling 15: This boiling “lake” is actually an about 50' overhead. underground pocket of water heated by the activity of the The corridor passes into the lake of volcano. The lake is about 300' deep, near-boiling water, protected by a extending down to the red-hot rock rubbery, magical force field that below and reaching nearly to the forms an elastic skin of super–surface ceiling of the cavern it occupies, 50' tension. The skin is soft, resilient, and above the level of the sunken ledge painfully hot to the touch. Under any described in area 17 . It is fed by an pressure it immediately becomes underground stream (marked “A”), taut. which enters at a depth 100' below that of the ledge. Its runoff is through It may not be obvious to the PCs that a short tunnel (marked “B”) near the they are below water. Because the ceiling of the cavern. water is clear, and the ledge so vivid where their light can penetrate, it 16: The runoff from the boiling lake might appear that there is some sort cascades down through a series of of flexible wall that bounds the near-vertical lava tubes to a corridor and that there is merely air chamber 800' below the level of the on the other side of the wall. The dungeon, at the base of the silvery ceiling and the silvery bubbles blowhole. There the water strikes rising from the depths should be molten rock and is instantly recognized by anyone who has converted to steam. It is ejected up spent time looking at an aquarium, the blowhole and out the top of the though. volcanic cone, forming the continuous geyser of White Plume Mountain.
19 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
Any character unwise enough to The PCs must be careful in this puncture the magical force field melee, or they could be parboiled with something sharp leaves a instead of lunch. The water skin wall permanent hole. A stream of could easily be punctured by PCs scalding water will rush into the foolish enough to use two-handed corridor, scalding the idiot who weapons or violent spells like fireball made the hole (d4 hp damage). The or lightning bolt (particularly if the force field skin does not reseal once PCs have not yet figured out that punctured. Major damage to the they are underwater). skin, as from a slash with a sword or an axe, collapses the field like a If a PC using a two-handed weapon balloon in d6 rounds. During this brief or a spear misses on a d20 roll of 1 or period, the PCs would need to rush 2, the wall is cut. In this case, the PC back to the bulkhead (at least 1 takes 2d4 hp damage from the round) and throw open the door (at boiling water that covers him. Again, least 1 round). All the while, they the wall collapses totally within d6 would be taking 2d4 hp damage rounds, causing damage as per round from the boiling water. previously noted.
After 30', the corridor widens out into A character grabbing Wave while a low, submerged dome, the walls of the water skin is collapsing should be which are of the same rubbery, able to save his own and others’ lives magical force field. Here lives the by invoking the cube of force ability. guardian of the treasure, just about (Wave will instantly make the holder the biggest giant crab anyone has aware of the ability, if the holder is ever seen. Around the forearm of Neutral or willing to convert on the one of the crab’s giant claws is a spot.) Characters inside the cube of rune-covered copper bracer, which force will probably end up being protects it from psionics and spells blown out the geyser at the top of that affect the mind. the mountain. The air-filled cube will float, drain down the cascade, and enlarged giant crab (AC 3; MV 9"; be ejected from the Plume—a rocky HD 9; hp 60; #AT 2; Dmg 6d4/6d4; ride. Characters could also survive SD immune to psionics & mind- the boiling lake with a combination affecting spells; Int Semi; AL N; SZ L of resist fire and water breathing [12' diameter]; THAC0 12) spells.
The crab will intelligently attack all intruders, being careful not to damage the water skin walls. The crab is experienced in fighting in this manner, as evidenced by the bones scattered about. It can attack two targets at once.
20 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
On the floor at the north end of the Wave dome, surrounded by the bones of Wave is a trident whose head is the giant crab’s previous meals, is a forged of steel with a distinctive huge wooden chest. In it are the blue-green sheen. The wooden haft trident Wave , wrapped in a length of is intricately carved with fish, twining velvet; 1,000 gp in 10 small sacks; a seaweed, and similar aquatic motifs. leather scroll case holding a bone According to legend, the trident wand of frost (17 charges) tipped w/ Wave was forged by cyclopes who quartz, wrapped in a scroll listing the were imprisoned on the desolate command words “Harn” ( ice storm ), island called Thunderforge by Xerbo “Turac” ( wall of ice ), and “Æros” the Sea-Keeper. (A twin weapon, (cone of cold ), in White Dragon; a called Surge, was similarly crafted in silver ring of faerie (Neutral); and the honor of Osprem of the Open Sea.) following gems: The first hero to wield Wave was the 100-gp very large azurite; cyclopskin Dravenda, said to be the 5,000-gp large emerald; daughter of Xerbo himself. Dravenda 1,000-gp large emerald; used Wave in an epic battle with an 1,000-gp large emerald; enormous crab. Dravenda fought 500-gp large amber; bravely, but she grew weaker as the 350-gp large red garnet; battle raged on. Finally, while in the 100-gp large carnelian; crab’s huge claw, she managed to 500-gp blue spinel; thrust her trident into a gap in the 50-gp very small blue spinel; creature’s adamantine plating, 500-gp tourmaline; killing it instantly. Dravenda died the 50-gp eye agate; next day, and her kin buried Wave 10-gp blue quartz; with her. 10-gp blue quartz; 10-gp chalcedony; Some 1,500 years ago, Keraptis 550-gp small amethyst; encountered the imprisoned 500-gp small ruby; cyclopes of Thunderforge Island and 500-gp small star sapphire; agreed to help them win their 50-gp small chrysoberyl; freedom. In return for the magical 5-gp small turquoise; aid that would enable them to crack 150-gp very small black pearl; their divinely ordained prison, the 2-gp very small moss agate*. cyclopes exhumed Wave from Dravenda’s tomb and gave it to * This last stone is in fact a luckstone . him. Keraptis carried the weapon in his travels before he eventually settled in White Plume Mountain and disappeared from history.
21 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
Around 490 CY, a group of powerful Wave has alignment N, intelligence heroes calling themselves the 14, ego 20, and purpose of death or Brotherhood of the Tome entered disfigurement to all who will not the dungeons of White Plume convert to the worship of Xerbo. It Mountain, fought the monsters still speaks Suloise and the language of living there, and returned in triumph all sea creatures, and it can with Wave and assorted other communicate telepathically with its treasures. A warrior named Elthan bearer. Anyone who clutches Wave claimed Wave as his own and constantly hears a sound like that of carried it during his later adventures, distant waves washing against some long after the Brotherhood of the unseen shore. With a round of Tome had been disbanded. concentration, the wielder can Eventually, Elthan retired from the sense the distance and direction to adventuring life and married, but the nearest body of water of at least tragedy struck on his wedding day. pond size. Shortly after Elthan and his bride boarded the Asterian for their Wave functions as a trident +3 with honeymoon journey, a sudden storm powers of fish command (20 struck, and the ship foundered. charges) and warning (20 charges). Elthan survived thanks to Wave’s It also confers water breathing and magic, but his new bride drowned— underwater action (as the helm ) although legend says her spirit upon its bearer, and it acts as a somehow joined with the figurehead cube of force (9 charges per day). In of the ship. melee, on a natural 20 , Wave dehydrates its opponent, thus Grief-stricken, Elthan blamed the draining one-half his remaining hit Sea-Keeper for his wife’s death and points (after computing normal swore an oath of vengeance on the damage). deity. His quest for revenge brought him at last to Thunderforge Island, Wave instantly communicates the birthplace of Wave , where he telepathically with the person who confronted an avatar of Xerbo picks it up, demanding that he himself. The results of that become Neutral and convert confrontation are unknown, but immediately to Xerbo. Until this Elthan and Wave both disappeared. occurs, Wave withholds knowledge Decades later, the trident of its abilities, and it functions in reappeared in the possession of a melee as if it were a cursed wealthy collector, where it remained backbiter . Wave also might dangle until its recent theft. its abilities as bait to persuade a PC to convert, such as if the water skin wall were collapsing. Wave will not willingly be left behind.
22 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
18: This 15'-long open pit is 10' deep. It is Shedding gear filled with water and so hidden from A backpack can be removed in 1 view, though probing reveals it round. Stripping off armor immediately. Otherwise, anyone in underwater requires 10–AC rounds the front rank must succeed on a (so 5 rounds for chain mail or 7 halved climbing check (base 40% for rounds for plate mail). most characters, halved to 20%; see Dungeoneer’s or Wilderness Survival Any character examining the Guide ) or immediately fall into the bottom of the pit finds a rotting pit, sustaining d6 hp damage. For corpse wearing a rusted suit of plate ease of reference, relevant rules mail. A large belt pouch hanging from Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide from the corpse’s belt still holds 22 gp are presented in simplified form and a milky healing potion in a tin below, based on the character’s flask. encumbrance category:
None (less than STR×10 cns.) Light (12" MV; normal gear) The character will float back to the surface (if motionless) on the 2nd round.
Moderate (9" MV; heavy gear) The character will not float to the surface unless he sheds gear. A skilled swimmer can surface on the 2nd round.
Heavy (6" MV; very heavy gear) The character will not float to the surface unless he sheds gear. A skilled swimmer can surface at 5' per round, beginning on the 2nd round.
Severe (3" MV; encumbered) The character will not float to the surface unless he sheds gear. Even a skilled swimmer cannot surface at this level of encumbrance.
Holding one’s breath A character can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to 1/3 his CON score (rounded up); one who is plunged into water unexpectedly must halve this figure (again, rounded up). Each round thereafter, he must make a CON check or die (with a –2 penalty on the 2nd check, –4 on the 3rd check, –6 on the 4th check, and so on).
23 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
19: A series of 6'×6' copper plates lines Anyone wearing metal armor or the walls of this corridor. The plates carrying a metal object suffers d4 hp are set into the stone midway damage per round at 40', 2d4 hp at between the ceiling and floor, 50', 2d4 hp at 60', and 2d4 hp at 70'; forming a smooth, flush surface. The note also the disabilities listed for the brilliantly polished copper panels so heat metal spell. Once out of the formed extend for 70'. induction field, affected metal objects cool down slowly, inflicting The panels set up an induction field an additional d4 damage for that causes metal objects passing 1 round. Thus, a PC in metal armor between them to become heated. who runs at full speed through the All metal is affected, including last 40' of the induction field suffers a armor, weapons, treasure, rings, gold total of 8d4 hp damage. However, a teeth, and even magic-users’ character who moves slowly through daggers. Though the panels do not, the induction field (at a maximum of their field extends from floor to 10' per round) could stop and turn ceiling and cannot be ducked back before excessive damage under. occurs. Those protected by resist fire take no damage if they pass saving Characters not carrying metal feel throws vs. spell, or half damage if only slight discomfort when passing they fail. between the plates. Any metal held or worn against the skin, however, Fighters and clerics may have no will become uncomfortably warm other recourse than to take time to after moving 20' into the field, remove their armor (2 rounds for painfully hot after 30', and hot chain mail, 4 rounds for plate mail), enough to damage at 40' and drag or push their armor and beyond. Metal carried in wrappings weapons through the corridor, and of cloth burns through by the 50' then suit up again (4 rounds for mark, and it similarly burns through chain, 8 rounds for plate). Armor leather by 60'. Creatures who start at pulled through the corridor by ropes the north end of the corridor and will heat up enough to burn through move south suffer no heat induction them by 60', leaving a pile of hot at all. metal lying in the water.
Damaging the induction plates is difficult; any hit from a magical weapon or a fire- or cold-based spell inflicts 1 point of structural damage. Each plate can sustain 50 structural points before cracking and becoming useless. (The attendant noise of such attacks draws the attention of nearby creatures; be sure to check for wandering monsters!) The only sovereign remedies for this dilemma are the cone of cold or ice storm spells, which nullify the effect long enough for a party to dash through.
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20: 8 ghouls (AC 6; MV 9"; HD 2; hp 10, Much of the worked stone in the 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10; #AT 3; secret chamber has cracked and Dmg d3/d3/d6; SA paralyzation; fallen away, allowing small SD immune to sleep & charm , amulet cascades of earth to flow into the of repudiation ; Int Low; AL CE; SZ M; room here and there. After the THAC0 16) ghouls leave, only their offal remains, foul-smelling and littered with the In the northwest corner of the remnants of their previous meals. All spacious outer chamber, stairs climb treasure has been removed from north out of the water. A small, them by Sir Bluto, who has delivered hidden switch on the west wall it to the False Keraptis. deactivates the induction field in area 19 (detect as secret door). 21: A short flight of stairs leads up out of the water to a dry landing. This area Behind the secret door in the leads to a dry section of the southeast corner, the ghouls wait in dungeon. The ghouls from area 20 ambush for an unarmored company pursue characters who flee in this to come through the heat-induction direction, but the undead creatures corridor. They are alerted by anyone are not willing to go through the splashing about in the main door into area 22 . chamber. Five rounds later, the secret door opens, and the ghouls rush out.
The ghouls attack figures according to their AC at the time, from least armored to most armored. Between victims having the same AC, they choose fighters over clerics, clerics over magic-users, magic-users over thieves. At least two ghouls attack each figure, and they triple up if not enough victims are in the room.
Once a victim has been paralyzed, the ghouls topple him face-down into the water (CON check each round, cumulative +2 penalty each subsequent round until the PC has drowned) and then seek another victim. The ghouls fight until destroyed. Their amulets of repudiation render them immune to clerical turning.
25 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
22: The door pulls open, revealing a The trick here is to get a rope strung 20'-wide, 20'-high corridor running through this room and fastened west. On the same wall at the securely at both ends. Once this is opposite end is another door. About done, a party can pull themselves 10' into the passageway, a 5'-wide across, regardless of the surface. A open pit 10' deep (marked “A”) clever party may even be able to spans the entire width of the floor. At come up with other methods. the bottom are rows of rusted razor- Ingenuity is required. like blades. The portion of the corridor just beyond that hazard Anyone falling into a pit suffers d6 (marked “B”) is a wondrous sight—its damage from the fall, plus d6 walls, floor, and ceiling are perfectly damage from the blades. The victim smooth and polished mirror-bright. must then save vs. poison or contract Between that pristine section and a particularly virulent form of tetanus, the other door lies another pit which proves fatal in d4+1 rounds (marked “A”), identical to the first in unless a cure disease spell is applied size and shape. within that time.
The west wall is an illusion, with the Opening the western door triggers true length of the room being 90'. an alarm in area 24 (q.v.). Objects hitting the false wall pass through and apparently disappear, tending to foil schemes for attaching ropes to the west wall from afar. The walls, ceiling, and floor of area “B” are covered with a substance that is totally frictionless. This substance extends to cover the ceiling and walls around the razor pits. The slipstuff is totally unaffected by any force, magical or otherwise. It is completely inert.
Anything that alights on this silvery surface moves in the direction of its last horizontal impetus. If it strikes a wall, it bounces off it like a billiard ball, rebounding about the room until it slides into a razor pit. It is impossible to stand on the surface, for even a heartbeat would unbalance the PC enough to send his feet out from under him. As if this were not enough, a permanent anti- magic shell encompasses area “B”, preventing magical transport. (Note that the anti-magic shell also negates magical light in its area of effect.)
26 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
23: Opening the door to this room If the PCs spend longer than 1 turn in activates an alarm in area 24 (q.v.). area 23 without disturbing the stream Suspended in mid-air in the northern flow, Sir Bluto splits his forces. He will part of this room is a stream that lead four of his guards along the flows toward the east. It enters and secret passageway ( area 25 ) to the leaves through 6'-diameter tunnels, T-corridor, then north. The remaining half filling them; the entrance tunnel guards mount kayaks—they know is in the west wall, and the exit tunnel how, and they have paddles—and 6 is in the northeast corner. The surface rounds later they launch the kayaks of the stream is flat, about 5' off the through the tunnel, perhaps floor, but below the surface the catching the party unawares. Only stream appears to be flowing one guard paddles in each kayak, through some invisible pipe about 2' and the other has his weapon ready. off the floor. Blind cavefish dart Two rounds after Sir Bluto bursts upon about in the water. the party, the boat team leaps from the kayak and joins the battle from Six small boats are lined up facing the back of the party in the 3rd the south wall, three on either side of round. the door. These have covered bows and sterns and two round holes If the PCs leave area 23 without where a person might fit. No paddles boating to area 24 , Sir Bluto leads can be found. four guards through the secret passage, launching the others as The stream, which is lukewarm, flows above 1 round later. He hopes to at 100' per round. Objects can be catch the party between his two thrust through the sides of the teams, though this may not be stream, but no water other than a possible. It takes him 5 rounds to few drops escapes. It would even be negotiate the secret passage ( area possible to walk right through the 25 ). The boat team waits 3 rounds stream, but only a strong person before launching, takes another to (STR 16+) could do so without being get to area 23 , a 5th to disembark, swept off his feet. and a 6th to burst through the door into the T-corridor. If the PCs are Should anyone choose to go moving rapidly, they may be south of boating into the unknown tunnel, he the secret door, in which case Sir will need to figure out how to get Bluto attacks to the south, using the into a kayak once it is in the stream, boat team as reinforcements. as these kayaks tip over easily. A PC with boating proficiency can do so automatically; all others risk a 25% chance of capsizing the boat. If they successfully board the kayaks, the party will bump along through a twisting tunnel. They can regulate their speed by pushing against the walls. In 2 rounds they will emerge into area 24 .
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24: Sir Bluto Sans Pite, Suel male fighter Much of the time, these men play (AC 0/–2 [ plate +2 , shield +1 , boots ]; cards and roll dice in the eastern MV 12"; Ftr 10; hp 50; #AT 2; half of area 24 . Whenever a Dmg d8+8 [ long sword +1 , double particularly tenacious and ingenious spec.]; SD boots of striding & party bests area 22 , however, the springing ; AL NE; SZ M [6', 267#]; guards go to work. All three doors in THAC0 4; S 18/77, I 13, W 8, D 14, the T-corridor are connected to C 12, Ch 10, Cm 9; mature, fanatical, alarms, which notify Sir Bluto and his scheming). His backpack holds guards that an adventuring party 117 gp, and he wears on a thong approach. Thus, as soon as the party around his neck the large iron key to enter the T-corridor, they are area 25 . guaranteed an interaction with Sir Bluto and his guards. If the 8 Rhennee male fighter/thieves (AC 5 adventurers go north, opening the [chain]; MV 9"; Ftr/Thf 4/2; hp 20, 20, door into area 23 pinpoints their 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20; #AT 1; Dmg d4 location. The same is true if the door [light crossbow, 6 bolts] or d8 [long to area 26 is opened. sword]; SA net; Int Avg; AL LE; SZ M; THAC0 18). Each has a small sack Sir Bluto waits until he has a fair idea tied to his belt holding 50 gp and a of what the party are doing before set of thieves’ tools. he acts. If the party have gone north, he gives them ample time to The stream emerges into a torch-lit explore the stream and kayaks room that shows signs of occupation. before taking other action. While the Scattered about the floor are nine PCs are still in area 23 , his men array bedrolls, plus backpacks, clothing, themselves in two teams of four, five weeks’ standard rations, and each with two guards on either side various other items indicating recent of the stream. habitation. A pair of kayaks (with paddles) leans against the east wall. If the party boat through the tunnel into area 24 , Sir Bluto’s men are This room is connected to area 23 by ready. The team nearest the tunnel water. The stream enters the room upset the first kayak through. A near the northeast corner and exits proficient boater can make a in the center of the south wall. It is proficiency check to keep the kayak suspended in air, just as it is in upright; otherwise, the riders are area 23 . automatically thrown from the stream. The first team then awaits a Using this room as a ready room and second kayak, which they net command post, Sir Bluto Sans Pite themselves. guards the western part of the dungeon, from area 22 to area 26 . To In the round following the dunking of aid him in his task, and to feed the the first kayak, the second team, creatures in area 26 and the ghouls who are about 15' downstream, in area 20 , he has eight guards. throw a net over the upset boat and floundering PCs. To escape netting, each PC must make a DEX check at a +4 penalty. Failure indicates the PC is enmeshed in the net.
28 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
In the 2 rounds following netting, the Sir Bluto was a respected knight PCs are dragged from the stream by bachelor of the City of Greyhawk the four-guard team, who dump before his indictment in the River of them to the floor. After the PCs are Blood mass-murder case six years on the floor, the guards move in to ago. Eight abducted upper-class finish off their catch with swords. children, ranging in age from 6 to 13, Netted PCs are hit at +2 (+4 if prone) were found ritually murdered and have no DEX bonus to AC. beneath Sir Bluto’s manor, their lifeblood draining from the quasi- Netted characters are unable to mystical symbols carved into their cast spells with other than verbal flesh to the flowing water of the components, or to use weapons Millstream beneath them. Though larger than short swords—and all imprisoned, Sir Bluto soon escaped such attacks are at –2 “to hit”. A his captors, and a reward was netted PC may spend a round posted for his capture (10,000 gp standing up, but cannot effectively alive, or 1,000 gp dead). move. He can escape by making a bend bars roll (to tear the net), by After fleeing across the Nyr Dyv with cutting the net for at least 8 hp a band of renegade Rhennee damage with a dagger or short bargemen, this knight-turned-fugitive sword (at –2 “to hit” the net’s AC 10), traveled to White Plume Mountain in or after d4+2 rounds of wriggling search of riches. Instead, he ran into about. the minions of the False Keraptis and wound up in the pretender’s service. Sir Bluto attacks any un-netted PC, Secretly, Sir Bluto plots against the choosing a fighter over other False Keraptis and plans to take the characters. If no PC escapes netting, entire compound for himself one he waits to see if there are any more day. Someone in the party is sure to kayaks. When it appears to him that recognize his one-of-a-kind face. there are not (after 3 rounds), he helps his men. If, in a fight, it appears 25: This 5'-wide, dusty tunnel can be that he or his men will be bested, he accessed only via two locked secret orders a retreat, preferring to harass doors in area 24 and south of area the PCs with crossbows rather than 23 . Sir Bluto carries the only key. The die. He does not leave his part of the inner of the two secret doors at the dungeon. If Sir Bluto or any guard eastern end is unlocked and opens remains when the door in the lowest normally. A tiny peephole in the level of area 26 is opened, he rushes upper part of the outer eastern door to help the ogre mage in area 27 . has a lens angled to allow a man- sized creature a clear view of the corridor.
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26: This is a large room, carved from the The creatures, all of which have rock. The walls climb 20' to an been charmed to stay on their own enormous ceiling, which is arched to levels, will be randomly distributed 30' and lit by continual light . The about their levels when the party room drops 40' in giant steps of 10' enter. As the intruders near each depth and width. section, the monsters move to follow, expecting to be fed. They are used At the level of the door (step “A”), a to live food and ignore dead meat 10'-wide walkway runs beside the or other food. Except for the walls. Steps “B”, “C”, and “D” are manticores, they consider anything enclosed by 6"-thick glassteel walls, living that enters their levels as food which can be broken with an and attempt to eat it. appropriate weapon by 10 successful blows vs. AC 1 that inflict A: This level contains neither at least 4 hp damage each. Steps creatures nor points of interest. “B” and “D” are filled to the brim with water. The only exits from the B: This level is entirely filled with fresh room are the doors on steps “A” and water. In this rectangular pool live “E”, so if the party want to continue 6 giant crayfish (AC 4; MV 6"//12"; onward, they must get safely to the HD 4+4; hp 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23; bottom level. The door in the bottom #AT 2; Dmg 2d6; Int Non; AL N; SZ L level opens into a corridor that [8']; THAC0 15). The crayfish fight to passes under the rest of the room. the death.
As soon as the door to this room is C: A thin layer of sand covers the opened, it sounds an alarm in area floor of this level, and desiccated 24 , occupied by Sir Bluto Sans Pite bones lie scattered about. Scuttling and eight guards, unless they are about on this level are 6 giant dead. Sir Bluto leads his guards scorpions (AC 3; MV 15"; HD 5+5; through area 25 , emerging into the T- hp 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22; #AT 3; corridor behind the party. With Sir Dmg d10/d10/d4; SA poison sting Bluto in the lead, the guards burst [save or die immediately]; Int Non; into area 26 , splitting into two groups AL N; SZ M; THAC0 13). The scorpions to engage the party on two fronts. fight to the death. They use their crossbows against PCs away from the melee, if any. Sir D: This salt water pool holds 4 sea Bluto’s party engage at once if the lions (AC 5 [head] / 3 [body]; MV 18"; PCs are within 30', but only when the HD 6; hp 27, 27, 27, 27; #AT 3; six crossbow bolts they each brought Dmg d6/d6/2d6; Int Semi; AL N; SZ L have been expended do all of the [15']; THAC0 13). A sea lion reduced guards engage. to 20 hp or fewer flees from combat.
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E: This terrace is littered with gnawed If all the glassteel walls are broken, a bones, and its stone walls bear deep wall of force activates immediately grooves in places. Here are in front of the door on step “E”, 3 manticores (AC 4; MV 12"; HD 6+3; preventing the water from forcing hp 41, 29, 24; #AT 3; Dmg d3/d3/d8; the door open and escaping into SA tail spikes [4 volleys of 6, Dmg d6 the corridor beyond. There will be each, R 6"/12"/18"]; Int Low; AL LE; enough water in the room to SZ L [15']; THAC0 13), whose wings completely fill steps “D” and “E” and have been clipped. The manticores cover step “C” to a depth of about know Sir Bluto and his guards, who 2'. PCs caught in this torrent occupy feed them, and they do not hesitate the area with whatever other to fire their spikes at the PCs, whom creatures remain. Any scorpions they recognize as intruders. They can drown in d6+2 rounds. only fire at creatures on step “A” because of the glassteel walls The water will slowly drain out of the around steps “B”, “C”, and “D”, and four small drains in the corners of they can only hit targets on step “A” step “E”, but it takes 20 turns to do by firing along the long axis of the so. Of course, parties who choose to room. Likewise, they can only be hit wait are subject to rolls for by missiles fired from step “A” if the wandering monsters. Once the missileer is at the north or south end water is finally gone, the wall of force of the room. Since they cannot disappears. escape this level, the manticores fight to the death. If the party manage to disintegrate the wall of force , the pressure of the Four small drains are set into the floor water pushes open the door, and of step “E”, one in each corner. In the water rushes into the corridor the southeast corner is a locked, beyond, pulling along any swimming reinforced wooden door. (Note that characters and miscellaneous debris Sir Bluto and his guards, if any still live, nearby. The water collides with will rush back to this room if the another wall of force covering the locked exit is opened, fighting to the door at the end of the corridor and death to prevent the PCs from then begins draining out through a reaching area 27 .) On the north wall, large grating in the floor in the last opposite the exit, is a locked, 2'×2' 10' of the passage. The water takes iron door at chest level. If the trap on only 2 turns to drain out through this the keyhole is not removed before grating. When the water is gone, the being opened, a vibration device in last wall of force dissipates. The the wall is triggered, which will water drains straight down through shatter the glassteel walls in d6 an old lava tube to a large, empty rounds. The safe contains 6,052 sp cave with no other exits. and a 3,000-gp gold necklace set w/ 2 very small blue spinels (17 cns.).
31 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
27: Qesnef, ogre mage (AC 1 [ ring +3 ]; Qesnef the ogre mage resides here MV 9"/15" or 18"/30" [ haste ]; HD 5+2; since losing a bet with Keraptis, as a hp 35; #AT 1 or 2 [ haste ]; Dmg 2d4+3 result of which he must guard the [Blackrazor ]; SA darkness 1" radius at wizard’s treasure for 1,001 years. He will, charm person , sleep , 6"×3" cold spends most of his time trying to ray [8d8 hp, save for ½] 1/day each; figure out a way to pay back the SD fly [12 turns], invisibility , polymorph wizard for this indignity. A magic self at will, regenerate 1 hp/round, mouth warns him when the door gaseous form 1/day, steel ring of from area 26 is opened, so he can protection +3 , silver ring of spell polymorph himself into the guise of storing [ mirror image , ×5] set w/ a Fenseq, a well-to-do halfling warrior very small tiger eye [2 cns.]; Int Exc; who has been held for ransom by AL CE; SZ L [10½']; THAC0 12) the evil wizard for several months.
A large grating covers the last 10' of In halfling guise, the ogre mage corridor before the door to this room. attempts to gain the party’s trust, if When the door is opened, a luxurious only momentarily. If possible, Qesnef chamber illuminated by continual would prefer to avoid combat. He is light is revealed. A thin, smoky haze perfectly willing to accompany the fills the room; though it does not characters out of the dungeon, obstruct vision, it creates a rather since doing so would end his eerie atmosphere. confinement. (Keraptis was not precise enough with his commands; Overhead is a 15'-high arched he specified only that the ogre ceiling decorated with scrollwork mage could not leave of his own and mosaics. The floor is strewn with volition.) If given the opportunity, rugs and cushions, and tapestries Qesnef might use his charm person cover the walls. A sumptuous divan, ability against an unwary PC, but he fully 12' long and 5' deep, dominates does so only if he thinks he may the center of the room. A 6' hookah need an extra friend. stands in the southeast corner, and a fire pit burns in the southwest corner, If his false identity is discovered, vented by a natural rift in the ceiling. Qesnef first invokes a mirror image A silver-plated, masterwork two- from his ring. He seeks to maintain at handed sword (100-gp value) hangs least three images, so he uses above the door, out of sight until multiple charges if necessary and someone who has already entered invokes another charge whenever looks back. Rising in apparent his images dwindle to two. He then surprise as the PCs enter, a 4'-tall attempts to maneuver himself to get tallfellow halfling reclines on the as many PCs as possible with his cold oversized divan, smoking from the ray . Next, he retrieves Blackrazor hookah. from behind the divan, hastes himself, and attacks hand-to-hand, choosing as targets those who were damaged by his cold ray .
32 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
If wounded, he dismisses his Blackrazor polymorph effect and reassumes his Blackrazor is a black bastard sword menacing ogre mage form that appears to be forged from an (regaining d12 hp in the process). unknown alloy of steel. It is sheathed When down to 10 hp, he casts in a black scabbard decorated with darkness around himself and then pieces of cut obsidian. When held, assumes gaseous form , withdrawing Blackrazor shines like a piece of night into the hookah temporarily in order sky filled with stars. to regenerate enough hit points to continue fighting. Unless one of the No living being can positively identify PCs draws Blackrazor , he resumes the material from which Blackrazor battle after 10 rounds, following the was crafted because the sword PCs wherever they may be. If comes from another reality, now someone draws Blackrazor , or even long dead, whose physical laws attempts to, he attacks at once, varied from those defining the fighting until death. multiverse known to today’s sages. In the dying days of that reality, the A fine mahogany chest (worth wizard Keraptis brought the weapon 600 gp, but weighing 100#) is shoved out of its native multiverse into our casually behind the divan. The own. In truth, Blackrazor’s current treasure within includes 1,010 ep, form is not its true shape. Originally, 203 pp, dwarf-sized plate mail of the bastard sword was a living vulnerability –2, a pair of 900-gp silver creature—a native of the strange slippers (30 cns. each), a dull red multiverse Keraptis visited. Through a healing potion in a tin flask marked strange ritual practiced by the with an eight-pointed star (the rune denizens of that dimension, Keraptis for regeneration), a clerical scroll bent first the entity’s will, and then its (protection/evil , cast at 7th level) in form, until he had the weapon he a leather case, a 6,000-gp gold ring desired. set w/ a very small ruby (2 cns.), and the bastard sword known as The rulers of Blackrazor’s home Blackrazor . The tapestries are dimension were powerful beings collectively worth 2,500 gp, but who controlled all known planes of weigh 100#. existence within their multiverse. Order was absolute—entropy and decay of all kinds had been virtually eliminated. But despite the power these rulers wielded, their control eventually faltered, allowing horrible creatures to pour forth from forbidden realms into their multiverse and poison all of reality.
33 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
In its original state, Blackrazor was Blackrazor’s wielder hears faint not a living being; it was a powerful whispers whenever it delivers the undead creature. In fact, the entity killing stroke to a living creature, and known as Blackrazor should never those killed by the black sword have existed—either in our reality or cannot be raised . For every three its own. It was one of the first horrid days the sword remains “unfed”, its creatures to invade that long-lost ego increases by one point, until it multiverse, and the rulers of that can compel its bearer to kill a dimension were all too eager to humanoid being. Upon feeding, its eliminate any evidence that their ego returns to 16. control was not as absolute as they would have wished. Thus, they Blackrazor is a negative-energy granted Keraptis the knowledge to artifact that exists by absorbing bend the entity into its current form positive life energy from those it kills. as payment for taking it away from There is a drawback to this, however, their realm forever. for if it even strikes a negative- energy being like a level-draining Blackrazor has alignment CN, undead, it works in reverse. When this intelligence 17, ego 16, and purpose occurs, Blackrazor transfers one level to suck souls. In battle, it acts as a and corresponding hit points from bastard sword +3 that can the wielder to the undead creature communicate via telepathy ; it can hit, repeating this each time it strikes. also speak aloud in any language its Under these conditions, the wielder bearer knows, which it learns can actually die and have his soul telepathically. It confers base 100% sucked out by his own sword as the magic resistance vs. charm and fear undead grows stronger. spells, and it can haste its bearer once per day for 10 rounds. It If the wielder survives, he needs a detects life in a 60' radius with restoration spell or twice the usual concentration. number of levels received from positive kills to replace the lost levels. On a killing stroke, Blackrazor sucks Those killed for replacement must be the soul from its victim and devours of the same race as the sword it. This action temporarily adds the wielder. Blackrazor may very well dead foe’s total levels or hit dice to keep this little drawback a secret the wielder’s, increasing his THAC0 until the first time the swords bites and attacks per round accordingly. into a wight or vampire. Blackrazor The bearer also temporarily gains the exists solely to feel power and souls full hit points of the victim. All coursing through itself, and subsequent damage to the sword’s sometimes it may not be too picky wielder is removed from the added about from where the energy hit points first. The extra levels and hit comes. points last a number of turns equal to the number of levels received.
34 White Plume Mountain Reconciled
SOURCES
Cordell, Bruce R. Return to White Plume Mountain . Renton, WA: TSR, Inc., 1999.
Gygax, Gary. The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun . Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Hobbies, Inc., 1982.
Gygax, Gary. Official Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ® Oriental Adventures . Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., 1985.
Gygax, Gary and Lawrence Schick. Realms of Horror . Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., 1987.
Mohan, Kim. Wilderness Survival Guide . Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., 1986.
Mona, Erik. River of Blood . N.p.: Wizards of the Coast, Inc., 2000.
Niles, Douglas. Dungeoneer’s Survival Guide . Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., 1986.
Schick, Lawrence. White Plume Mountain . Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Games, 1979.
Schick, Lawrence, Andy Collins, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, and James Wyatt. White Plume Mountain . N.p.: Wizards of the Coast, Inc., 2005.
Stephens, Owen K.C. “By any other name: Dragon names.” DRAGON ®, June 1999: 56–58.
35 PRE-GENERATED PLAYER CHARACTERS
RACE CLASS LEVEL AL STR INT WIS DEX CON CHA COM HP AC Human (Flan) Cleric (Boccob) 8 N 15 15 18 11 16 13 10 59 4/2 magic items: chain mail +1 ; shield +1 ; footman's mace +1 ; bag of holding (250#); potion of diminution ; cleric scroll (any 3 spells known) Human (Suel) Druid (Xerbo) 10 N 16 9 17 11 13 17 12 53 7 magic items: spear +1 ; scimitar +1 ; dagger +1, +2 vs. size S ; ring of protection +1 ; folding boat ; potion of growth ; scroll: protection / all elementals ; druid scroll ( cure light wounds ) Dwarf (hill) Fighter 8 LN 17 9 13 13 18 14 (15) 11 (12) 84 2/0 magic items: chain mail +1 ; shield +1 ; battle axe +1 ; dagger +1, +2 vs. size S ; potion of invisibility
Human (Oeridian) Fighter 8 LN 18/50 8 11 16 18 14 8 84 1/–1 magic items: banded mail +1 ; shield +1 ; long sword +1 ; dagger +1, +2 vs. size S ; potion of flying
Half-elf (sylvan) Fighter/MU 6/7 N 15 14 14 17 16 13 10 (9) 49 1/–1 magic items: chain mail +1 ; shield +1 ; long sword +1 ; dagger +1, +2 vs. size S ; ring of protection +1 ; potion of extra-healing ; MU scroll ( cone of cold , disintegrate , globe of invulnerability ; cast at 13th level, 30% chance of failure) Human (Flan) Barbarian 6 CN 18/41 9 12 16 18 14 (20) 11 95 6 magic items: dagger +1, +2 vs. size S
Human (Suel) Magic-user 9 LN 10 18 16 17 14 12 6 28 5 magic items: dagger +2, +3 vs. size L ; ring of protection +2 ; ring of water walking ; healing potion ; MU scroll (any 3 spells known) Human (Baklunish) Illusionist 8 CN 8 18 16 18 11 13 10 25 5 magic items: dagger +1, +2 vs. size S ; ring of protection +1 ; brooch of shielding (29 charges); potion of polymorph ; illusionist scroll (any 3 spells known) Human (Suel) Thief-Acrobat 9 N 16 14 10 18 16 12 7 56 3 magic items: leather armor +1 ; short sword +1 ; dagger of venom ; healing potion ; scroll: protection/magic
Human (Oeridian) Fighter/Thief/Bard 5/6/9 CN 15 12 15 18 10 16 9 70 3 magic items: leather armor +1 ; long sword +1 ; dagger +1, +2 vs. size S ; potion of extra-healing ; scroll: protection / all lycanthropes